Malaysia's tourism industry needs thousands more workers

Tourists to Langkawi island, Malaysia on September 16, 2021 - Illustrative image (Photo: AFP/VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Malaysia‘s tourism industry is facing a shortage of about 15,000 to 20,000 workers, Malaysian Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Nancy Shukri said, citing data from tourism associations across the country.

The official also noted that not only the tourism sector, but other industries and sectors in Malaysia are also facing a labour shortage, and the Malaysian Government is trying to address this matter, including recruiting foreign workers.

She said that the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) has reported the issue to the Cabinet, and the government has approved the option of bringing in labour from abroad.

The minister also encouraged business owners to hire local workers in order to deal with the shortage of labour.

She said since the beginning of the year, more than 500,000 international tourists have visited Malaysia and expressed her confidence that from now until the end of 2022, the number of visitors to Malaysia will continue to increase./.